A Global Experience week in Athens: Exploring Strategic Resilience with LBS

By Neeshtha Bholah, MBA2025

When applying to London Business School (LBS), the Global Experience (GE) stood out as a unique highlight of the MBA programme. Alumni spoke passionately about the transformative impact of the GE, and I eagerly anticipated the opportunity to immerse myself in this experiential learning journey. For me, the Athens GE marked the culmination of my MBA journey as I planned for an early exit at 15 months, and it exceeded all expectations.

What is the GE?

The GE is an experiential programme available to MBA students from their second year. It allows participants to integrate academic learnings and professional experience in real-world contexts. Carefully designed by faculty, it offers an immersive one-week exploration of a specific theme, blending cultural exposure, academic insights, and practical application.

The Athens GE: Strategic Resilience

Among several GEs offered, I chose Athens, centered on the theme of “Strategic Resilience.” This GE brought together students from the MBA, EMBA, and Sloan programmes, fostering collaboration across diverse professional and academic backgrounds. For someone like me, who has lived and worked in the UK for a decade, it was a fascinating opportunity to understand how Greece navigated its prolonged economic challenges, regained stability, and embarked on a path to growth.

Exploring Greece: History, Culture, and Economy

Our week began with a journey through Greece’s rich cultural and historical heritage, offering insights into how its past shapes its identity today. A guided tour of the Acropolis revealed the enduring legacy of the goddess Athena, symbolizing wisdom and resilience—qualities deeply ingrained in the Greek spirit. At the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), we learned how the country continues to invest in its future, even amidst economic challenges. These experiences sparked reflection on Greece’s resilience. While tourism and merchant shipping have long been pillars of its economy, emerging industries such as investment funds and science suggest new possibilities. However, the question remains: what’s next for Greece? As it navigates a changing global landscape, the path forward is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Learning from Leaders and Innovators

Throughout the week, we engaged with esteemed academics, policymakers, and business leaders—including Greece’s former Prime Minister—who shared their strategic approaches to overcoming challenges. Their stories of perseverance and adaptability offered valuable lessons in personal and organisational resilience. I found their candid discussions particularly inspiring, especially when they spoke of the resistance they encountered, and the determination required to push forward in adverse circumstances.  


Hands-On Client Engagement

A defining element of the GE was the client project. My team worked with a local packaging company, which was initially reluctant to explore new ideas due to its established profitability. Through collaborative analysis and creative thinking, we proposed strategies for product and industry diversification, ultimately encouraging the client to think beyond their current boundaries. The final presentation to the client was a highlight of the week. What began as a daunting challenge transformed into a rewarding experience, as we witnessed our recommendations resonate with the client and spark new possibilities.

This unique blend of cultural discovery, academic insight, and practical engagement made the Greece GE an unforgettable experience, if not one of the highlights of my MBA. It not only deepened my understanding of strategic resilience but also reinforced the value of global perspectives in navigating today’s complex business challenges.

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